EPIPHANEIA. EPOREDIA.
843 mentioned by Ptolemy in the country of the Nariti, is Rhagma (Peyud), the precise form of Raamah in the LXX. He says that the tribe and province of Marah, and the town Ramah, are still found in this part of the Arabian peninsula. [G. W.]
EPIPHANEIA ('Eripárea: Eth. Tripartús), a
city of Syria, placed by Ptolemy in 69° 36′, 30° 26',
in the district of Cassiotis, in which also Antioch
and Larises were situated. The Itinerary of Anto-
minus places it 16 miles from Larissa, 82 from
Emean (Arethusa lying half way between it and the
latter), and so 101 from Antioch of Syria. It waI
situated on the western bank of the Orontes, lower
down the stream than Emena (i. e. to the north),
and is supposed to be identical with the ancient
Hamath (2 Sam. viii. 9; 1 Kings, viii. 65 ; Is. z
9), called also "Eamath the Great" (Amos, vi. 1).
St. Jerome states that both Antioch and Epiphanela
were formerly named Hamath, and mentions that the
first station on the road to Mesopotamia (qy. from
Antioch) was in his day named Emmas, probably the
modern Hema Emesa. Eusebius (Onomast. s. v.
(Greek characters)) does not think it to be Epiphancia near
Emen; but St. Jerome, in the same place, maintains
their identity, and says that Epiphanein was still
called Hamath by the native Syrians.
(Comp.
Onomast, s. v. Asmath.) Aquils also rendered
(
Greek characters). (Theodore
Quast. 22 in 2 King.); and Theodoret, in common
with St. Jerome, mentions both Epiphancia and
Emera as Hamath, and says that the former was
still so called. (Comment. in Jerem. xlvi. and iv.)
Reland, however (Palaest, pp. 119,120,317), doubts
the identity, and is disposed to place the Hamath of
Scripture further south, and nearer to the confines
of the land of Larnel, as indeed Numb, xiii. 21 and
other passages above referred to seem to require.
This, however, would not disprove the assertion that
Epiphansia was formerly called Hamath, the proof
of winch rests on independent ground, and is greatly
confirmed by the fact of its retaining that name
among the natives in St. Jerome's time, as indeed it
down to this day being still called Hamah, which is
described by Irby and Mangles "delightfully
situated in a hollow, between and on the sides of two
hills, near the west bank of the Orontes, but in it-
self presents nothing worthy of notice at this day."
(Travels, p. 244.)
[G. W.]
EPIPHANELA ((Greek characters): Eth. (
language characters)),
acity of Cilicia, which, Phiny says (v.27), was origi
nally called Oeniandoa; he places it in the interior
of Cilicia. Cicero, in his description of his Cilician
campaign, says that he encamped at Epiphancia,
which was one day's journey from the Amanus.
Cn. Pompeius (Appian, Mithrid c. 96) settled
some pirates here after he had broken up the rob
bern, and also at Adana and Mallos. The Table
places Epiphaneis 80 ML. P. east of Anazarbus
[AxaZannus], and the same distance from Alex-
andria ad Issum. If Ptolemy's figures are right
(v. 8), we may collect that he supposed Epiphancin
to be near the place which he calls the Amanicae
Pylae. It is mentioned by Ammianus (xxii. 11),
but he gives no information as to its position.
2. Stephanus (s. v.) mentions un Epiphaneia in Bithynia
[G. L.]
EPIRUS [Epeirus.]
EPITA'LIUM ((Greek characters)),
a town of Triphylia in Elis, near the coast and a
little south of the river Alpheius. It was identified
with the Homeric Thryon ((
Greek characters)) or Thryoessa
((
Greek characters)), a town in the dominions of Nestor,
which the post describes as a place upon a lofty bill
near the ford of the river Alpheins (Hom. Il. ii. 599,
xi. 710, Hymn. in Apoll, 423; Strab. viii. p. 849.)
Epitalium was an important military post, because
it commanded the ford of the Alpheins and the road
leading along the coast. Like the other dependent
townships of Triphylis, it revolted from Elis when
Agis, the Spartan king, invaded the country in B.C.
401;
and when Agis returned home, after ravaging
Elis, he left a garrison in Epitalium. (Xen. Hell.
iii. §§ 25, 29.) The town was taken by Philip in
the Social War, B.C. 218. (Polyb. iv. 80; Steph.
B. s. v. (
Greek characters).) It appears to have occupied
the height of Agulenitza. (Leake, Morea, vol. ii.
P. 198, soq.; Boblaye, Recherches, &c. p. 183;
Curtius, Peloponnesos, vol. ii. p. 88.)
EPOISSUM, in North Gallia, to placed by the Antonine Itin. on the road from Durocortorum (Reime) to Traveri Civitas (Trier). It is 22 Gallie Jeagues from Durocortorum to Yungus Vicus (Vone), and 22 more to Epoissum (Iptsch or Ivois), now commonly called Carignan. Ipisch is the German name, which comes from Evosium or Ivosium, the name used in the middle ages. in the Notitia Imp. the place is called Epusum, and was a station for troops. [G. L.]
EPOMEUS MONS. [AKNARIA.]
E'PORA (Montoro), a city of Hispania Baetica, on the Baetis, 28 M. P. east of Corduba, on the road to Castulo. (Itin. Ant. p. 408; Caro, Ant. Hisp. iii. c. 22; Inscr. ap. Grater, p. 105, No. 2; Ukert, vol. ii. pt. 1, p. 379.)
[P.S.]
EPORE'DIA ((Greek characters)), an important
town of Cisalpine Gaul, situated at the foot of the
Alps, on the river Duris, just at the entrance of the
great valley of the Salami, now called the Val d'Aosta. It was a Roman colony, founded, as we
learn from Velleius, as early as B.c. 100 for the
purpose of keeping the Salasi in check, and pro-
tecting the plains from their incursions; but it was
not till that people had been finally subdued under
Augustus that it was able to rise to prosperity.
(Vall. Pat. i. 15; Strab. iv. p. 205.) Neither Pliny
nor Ptolemy gives it the title of a colony, but it cer-
tainly was a place of wealth and importance, and is
mentioned by Tacitus among the most considerable
provincial towns of the region north of the Padus
("firmissima Transpadanas regionis municipia," Tac. Hist. 170). Pliny tells us that it was founded accord-
ing to the directions of the Sibylline books, and that
its name was derived from a Gaulish word signifying
"a tamer of horses." Velleius is certainly in error in
placing it among the Vagienni; Ptolemy correctly
assigns it to the Salassi. (Plin. îii. 17. a. 21; Ptol.
iii. 1. § 84.) We learn from the Itineraries that it
was distant 83 miles from Vercellas. (It. Ant
pp. 845, 847.) The strength of its position at the
entrance of the Val d'Aosta, commanding two of